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Cyber Monday Guide: 2016

28 Nov, 2016
•
McKell Naegle

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The best part of Thanksgiving is the shopping, right? Okay, it might be spending time with family, eating food and being grateful — but it’s also a great time to score on some huge discounts. When people think about Thanksgiving discounts, they usually think about Black Friday with all of its crazy lines, early mornings and hordes of people. All of which are reasons to forget about Black Friday, stay at home and shop online during Cyber Monday, instead.

Cyber Monday takes place the Monday after Thanksgiving, mainly in the United States, but also by various other countries around the globe. The term was first mentioned in a 2005 article: “77% of online retailers said that their sales increased substantially on the Monday after Thanksgiving, a trend that is driving serious online discounts and promotions on Cyber Monday this year.” Many smaller businesses discount their products on Cyber Monday, not being able to compete with the big business Black Friday discounts.

Each year, Cyber Monday continues to grow. Last year saw record sales of over $3 billion! And this year could be even bigger, according to Sara Skirboll of the shopping app, Retail Me Not.

“It might seem that we’re pretty far away but at Retail Me Not we know that 61% of people are already planning on spending more than they spent last year. One in three are going to spend over $200 more than they spent last year and that’s going to be across the board on both desktop and their mobile devices.”

But these online deals aren’t just exclusive to Cyber Monday anymore. Some of the best online deals can be had in October and early November, Skirboll said. Number one on that list of online deals is apparel, followed by toys and home décor. “There are a lot of toys on wish lists, so if you see a deal now pick it up and don’t wait because that toy may be sold out in three weeks,” Skirboll said. “You can find just as many deals online as you can in-store.”

Tips for Cyber Monday:

Make a list beforehand. What are some things you need or want to buy? Jot down the prices, then look for those products on Cyber Monday.

Set a budget. Sure, things are on sale, but that doesn’t mean you won’t break the bank. As much as we’d like to buy everything in sight, you’ll thank yourself later if you set a budget and don’t go over.

Make note of your favorite sites and check there. Odds are pretty good that you’ll find discounts there. While not everyone chooses to participate, more and more companies are taking part every year. Don’t miss out on deals from the stores you love.